Tethered basketball apparatus

ABSTRACT

A basketball game is provided which is adapted to be held in the hand of the player while in use and which comprises a handle, a backboard and a basket wherein the handle, backboard and basket are pivotally mounted and a ball is tethered to the bottom of the backboard. By pivoting the handle, basket and backboard, the backboard can be folded down on the handle and the basket can fold against the backboard.

[ Sept. 23, 1975 TETHERED BASKETBALL APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Anthony J. Di Leva, 174 W. 72nd St., New York, NY. 10023 [22] Filed: Apr. 25, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 463,907

2,042,984 6/1936 Fritz 273/98 2,570,860 10/1951 Redding 273/98 3,375,604 4/1968 Alonso 1 273/97 R 3,591,179 7/1971 Pentek 273/97 R Primary ExaminerRichard .1. Apley Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind [52] U.S. Cl 273/97 R 57 ABSTRACT [51] Int. Cl. A63B 71/02 I I v i [58] Field of Search 273/15 R, 97 R, 98, 95 A, A bdketbau game Pmwded f f adapted T 273/85 R 80 R held in the hand of the player while in use and which comprises a handle, a backboard and a basket wherein [56] References (med the handle, backboard and basket are pivotally mounted and a ball 18 tethered to the bottom of the UNITED STATES PATENTS backboard. By pivoting the handle, basket and back- 895,372 8/1908 Hostetter 273/80 R board, the backboard can be folded down on the han- 1944628 1/1934 Barker dle and the basket can fold against the backboard. 1,955,677 4/1934 lzan 2,033,408 3/1936 Watterson 273/97 R 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures I 251 z/ [I]: 1-

ill l l I I I" I]: z i

j Z Z4 n Q f US Patent Sept. 23,1975 3,907,297

TETHERED BASKETBALL APPARATUS The present invention relates to a basketball game of simple and inexpensive nature which is adapted to be hand held during use and which is foldable into a compact arrangement when not in use.

In the accompanying drawing, FIG. 1 illustrates the invention in side elevation and FIG. 2 is a view looking from right to left in FIG. 1 with certain portions omitted.

Referring to the drawing, numeral is a handle of any suitable material such as synthetic plastic, rubber, wood or the like, and handle 10 preferably tapers from left to right as seen in FIG. 1, in order to provide a better grip for the hand. At one end, the handle 10 is provided with a socket 11 into which fits a'ball 12 thereby forming a so-called ball-and socket-joint although alternatively the member 12 may be formed with peripheral teeth so that it acts as a pawl. The backboard 13 is preferably made of transparent synthetic plastic although it may be opaque or colored, and it is provided on one side thereof with a rectangular patch 14 which is applied on the backboard 13 in order to provide a visual contrast for the user or player. The patch 14 may be black or any desired color so long as it is clearly visible against the backboard to enable the player to see where the throwing area exists. The backboard 13 is provided with a projection or lug l5 and an aperture 16 and in which aperture is secured at one end of the string or line 17 which is preferably made of nylon but which may be made of rubber, string or cord. At the other end, line 17 is secured into a basketball 18 which may be made of any usual or suitable material, preferably molded rubber with a countersunk opening 19 therein into which the end of line 17 is received, line 17 having an enlarged knot 17a on its end to prevent accidental disassembly.

On the other side of backboard 13, opposite handle 10, there is a basket 20 having an enlarged rim 21 and a body portion 22 of netting of the type commonly used for basketball baskets and above the lower open end of the netting there is disposed and secured a transverse stop member 23 of any suitable cellulosic (wood) or non-cellulosic (rubber) material for preventing the basketball from passing entirely through the basket. Rim 21 has an enlargement 24 fitting into a socket 25 of rigid connecting member 26 of plastic or rubber so that the basket can be folded up against the backboard and similarly handle 10 is provided with a like connecting member 27 so that the backboard can be folded down on the handle 10 when the game is not in use.

The relationship of the parts shown in FIG. 1 is the normal arrangement of the game during use but when it is desired to put the game away or to store it, the backboard can be folded down against the handle and the basket can be folded against the backboard, thereby making it possible to put the game in a pocket of the clothing of the user or player if desired. The backboard 13 preferably has a thickened or contrasting border as shown to aid visibility of the transparent member.

The playing of the game will be in accordance with any rules established by the players, which rules are or can be similar to those in regulation basketball, and each time the ball 18 lands in the basket it can count as two points or one point, or whatever has been agreed upon, and similarly if a ball hits the backboard and rebounds into the basket a specific number of points is awarded. The game can be played by one person or by several persons, and in playing the game, when a player makes a basket, is entitled to continue to try for additional baskets until he misses, at which time the game goes to another player.

The foregoing is intended as illustrative and not limitative and within the appended claims various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The members 26 and 27 may be, and preferably are, molded with backboard 13 by means of a suitable mold appropriately configured in its cavity and members 26 and 27 are formed with recesses or depressions into which 12 and 24 fit or engage while still permitting the folding movement as above described. Ball 18 can of course also be made of non-resilient material such as wood, plastic, etc., if desired.

What is claimed is:

l. A basketball game comprising a handle member, a backboard and a basket having an annular rim, the handle member and backboard being normally disposed and held at right angles during use and pivotally mounted relative to each other to permit the backboard to be folded down on the handle, the backboard and handle being mounted to permit the basket to fold against the backboard, the backboard being transparent and having a peripheral edge for visual contrast, and a rectangular patch on the backboard disposed with its lower edge at a lower level than the rim of the basket, and a ball tethered to the bottom portion of the backboard by a line.

2. A basketball game according to claim 1, in which the basket has a netting depending from the annular rim and a transverse stop member adjacent the lower edge of the netting for preventing the ball from passing down entirely through the basket. 

1. A basketball game comprising a handle member, a backboard and a basket having an annular rim, the handle member and backboard being normally disposed and held at right angles during use and pivotally mounted relative to each other to permit the backboard to be folded down on the handle, the backboard and handle being mounted to permit the basket to fold against the backboard, the backboard being transparent and having a peripheral edge for visual contrast, and a rectangular patch on the backboard disposed with its lower edge at a lower level than the rim of the basket, and a ball tethered to the bottom portion of the backboard by a line.
 2. A basketball game according to claim 1, in which the basket has a netting depending from the annular rim and a transverse stop member adjacent the lower edge of the netting for preventing the ball from passing down entirely through the basket. 